A medal from the First World War has been found and returned to its rightful owners, all thanks to Middleton Primary School.
11 year old Conrad Buckley found the medal on a Heritage Day event, organised by the Friends of Middleton Park, which he attended with the school last month. Whilst walking in the woods, he stepped on something sharp and when he bent down to take a closer look discovered the medal.
Conrad’s teacher, Tim Jones, made some investigations and found it was a First World War service medal, awarded to all British soldiers who fought in the conflict. The medal was awarded to Private Walter Wright of the West Yorkshire Regiment. He realised this might be the same Wright family who’s son Noddy was in Year 5 at Middleton Primary and this was confirmed by more information from the Imperial War Museum.
Allan Wright, Walter’s grandson takes up the story:
“My granddad fought in both World Wars and had half a dozen medals which were stolen in the early 1970s. I was only a kid then and he talked about the war in a joking way – he said it was his tour of Europe.
“This means a lot to me and the family. It’s not the value, it’s that it was my granddad’s. It’s a piece of history and to think of what he went through to get it.”
The medal will now take pride of place in Allan’s disabled son’s bedroom.
“Spike never knew his great granddad, but now he’s got this link. I really want to say a big thank you Conrad and Mr Jones from the whole family.”
Conrad handed over the medal during the Leavers assembly at Middleton Primary School on Wednesday (27 July 2016). He commented:
“It’s amazing that I found this and during the anniversary of the war. It’s a pleasure to return it to the family.”
